Indian envoy leads celebration of Independence Day in Singapore

Singapore: Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Shilpak Ambule on Saturday hoisted the tricolour at an event to mark India's 80th Independence Day, with more than 2,500 diaspora members joining the celebrations.

At the event held at the Chancery, Ambule also read excerpts from President Droupadi Murmu's address to the nation.

The National Anthem, Vande Mataram and patriotic songs were also sung at the flag-hosting ceremony.


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Students from Indian schools in the city-state performed traditional dances, displaying the diversity of Indian culture.

All attendees at the celebration were treated to sweets, Indian meals and soft drinks.

Later in the day, Ambule laid a wreath on behalf of the Indian community in Singapore at the Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial in remembrance and honour of the fallen soldiers.

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Families of serving personnel of the Indian Armed Forces deputed in Singapore, veteran Indian soldiers, members of the High Commission and other distinguished guests from the Indian and Singaporean communities attended the ceremony.

In his address, Ambule highlighted that more than 67,000 of the 139,000 Allied Forces personnel deployed to fight in Malaya and Singapore during WWII were Indians.

He said that the sacrifice made by the Indian soldiers fighting in Singapore during WWII was reflected in the names of over 12,500 Indian soldiers amongst the 24,000 fallen Allied soldiers inscribed on the walls of Kranji War Memorial, and the hardships faced by the large number of Indian Prisoners of War in Singapore, many of whom never returned home.

He also highlighted the role of the Fifth Infantry Division of the pre-independence Indian Army, which arrived on September 5, 1945, as the first Allied forces to enter and liberate Singapore at the end of WWII.

As part of the Independence Day celebration, women from the Indian diaspora celebrated the rich legacy of India's handlooms, weavers and textile traditions.

Through workshops, cultural experiences and community events, the women created greater awareness and knowledge about the many weaves of India, their origins, the regions they come from and the skilled craftsmanship behind them, said Divya Dhar, who led the community initiative "Sari Circle".